A rosary will be held Friday 7:00 p.m., at Duddlesten Chapel. Funeral service will be held Saturday 2:00 p.m., March 27th, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Burial will follow at the Raymondville Memorial Park Cemetery.

Betty Sue (Suzy) Capen Jones

WESLACO, TX — Betty Sue (Suzy) Capen Jones, 78, passed away on Tuesday, March 23, at Comfort House in McAllen. She was born on October 21, 1925, in Troup, Texas, to E. A. and Ruth Hamilton Capen, both of whom preceded her in death. She has made her home in Weslaco since 1956.

Reared in La Feria and Donna, Suzy graduated as Co-Valedictorian from Donna High School. After earning a degree at the University of Kentucky, she married J W ("Shorty") Jones, also of Donna, in 1946. She and Shorty were loving parents to their only child, Ann. They shared 29 wonderful years of marriage, until his death in 1975.

"Involved" is one of the best words to describe Suzy. She was a helpmate to Shorty in Jones Pharmacy, their family business in Weslaco, as well as his bridge and fishing partner. She sewed costumes for Ann’s dance recitals, led a Girl Scout troop, and was a homeroom mother for probably 12 years.

Visitation will be held Wednesday March 24, 2004 from 3 pm to 9 pm. A holy rosary will be recited at 7pm Wed. evening. Funeral mass of christian burial will be held at Queen of Peace Catholic Church at 10 :00 a.m. with Father Matt Shanley, SS.CC. Burial will follow to Las Rucias Cemetery.

Thomas R. Bird

Elk Point, SD — Thomas R. Bird, age 84, of Elk Point, SD, died Saturday, May 29, 2004 at Prairie Estates Care Center in Elk Point. He was a resident of Harlingen since 1987 and moved back to SD in 2002.

Tom served in WWII and was married for nearly 64 years before his wife passed away in 2002. He enjoyed fishing and had a wonderful sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Survivors include his three sons, Ronald, Tom, and Dennis; a daughter, Dixie; 18 grandchildren and several great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Norma Bird; a son, Michael Bird; and grandson, Jeff Severson.

Services were held at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Thursday, June 3 in Elk Point.

Maria Luisa Garcia

SAN BENITO, TX — Maria Luisa Garcia, 48, of San Benito, Texas entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, June 1, 2004 at Valley Baptist Medical Center. She was born on August 20, 1955 in Brownsville, Texas.

She was a member of Valley Christian Assembly Church, and was previously employed with the Harlingen C.I.S.D. for over 18 years.

Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, June 4, 2004 with a Prayer Service at 7 p.m. in the North Chapel.

Her funeral service will be Conducted at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 5, 2004 at The Valley Christian Assembly Church located at 32128 FM 2520 in San Benito, Texas with Pastor Armando Escamilla officiating.Interment will then follow to the Garcia Family Cemetery in El Ranchito, Texas.

Funeral services are under the direction of Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors.

Ned Wood Solether

WESLACO, TX — Ned Wood Solether, 83, passed away on May 30, 2004 at Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco, after a lengthy illness. He was on January 9,1921, in Weslaco to Clell and Nellie Wood Solether, who were early Valley pioneers.

Ned graduated from Weslaco High School in 1939, where he was active in school activities, sports and band. He attended Texas A&M University and graduated with a degree in Economics. Ned’s education was interrupted for three years when he served his country as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy Airforce from Feb. 5, 1942 until Dec. 4, 1945, in the Pacific Theater. He attained the rank of Lieutenant and served two tours of duty. He was also attached to the U.S. Marines on several islands and later served in the Composite Squadron 71 on the U.S.S. Manila Bay through six major battles to the shores of Japan, where strikes were made on various air bases in preparation for invasion.

David Fredrick Meyn

BAYVIEW, TX — David Fredrick Meyn, 76, died May 30, 2004 after a long battle with emphysema.

David was born in New Orleans, LA and moved to south Texas in 1948.

David was a proud Marine, a former Fire Chief for the Los Fresnos Volunteer Fire Dept. for 7 years, a fisherman, a hardworking, honest man and loving husband and father.

He is survived by his wife, Ann Meyn of Bayview; his son, Richard Meyn and wife Melba and grandchildren Jason and Nicole, all of Bayview; his daughter, Gail Yates and husband Bob and grandchildren Joshua and Rebekah, all of Collierville, TN; his daughter, Diana Delaup and husband Chris of Houston and grandchild, Kelly Cawthorn of San Antonio; his brother, Anthony Meyn Jr. and wife Mary Ann of Bayview, along with numerous family members and many longtime friends who appreciated his humor and company.

David Fredrick Meyn

BAYVIEW — David Fredrick Meyn, 76, died May 30, 2004 after a long battle with emphysema. David was born in New Orleans, LA and moved to south Texas in 1948. David was a proud Marine, a former fire chief for the Los Fresnos Volunteer Fire Dept. for 7 years, a fisherman, a hardworking, honest man and loving husband and father.

He is survived by his wife Ann Meyn of Bayview, his son Richard Mayn and wife Melba and grandchildren Jason and Nicole, all of Bayview, his daughter Gail Yates and husband Bob and grandchildren Joshua and Rebekah, all of Collierville, TN, his daughter Diana Delaup and husband Chris of Houston and grandchildren Kelly Cauthorn of San Antonio, his brother Anthony Meyn Jr. and wife Mary Ann of Bayview, along with numerous family members and many longtime friends who appreciated his humor and company.

Anita Villarreal

MERCEDES — Anita Villarreal, 81, passed away at her residence Saturday May 29, 2004. Anita was born to Maximo Villarreal and Margarita Quintanilla in Mercedes on July 26, 1922.

She was preceded in death by her father, Maximo and mother, Margarita; three brothers, Miguel, Hilario and Gumecindo Villarreal and her husband Bobby Cure.

Surviving are two brothers Marcos and Maximo (Francisca) Villarreal of Mercedes; two sisters, Frances V. Cano and Adelaida Lela Wolfe of Mercedes; a sister-in-law, Sabina Villarreal of San Antonio and Eladia R. Villarreal of Baytown, TX.

Visitation will be held Monday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. with a rosary to be prayed at 7 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Mercedes.

Interment will follow at Mercedes Memorial Restlawn also in Mercedes.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Garcia & Trevino Funeral Home of Mercedes.

William Henry ‘Bill’ Dear

HARLINGEN — William Henry "Bill" Dear, 79, went to be with our Father in Heaven Saturday, May 29, 2004. Bill was born January 15, 1925 to David and Maria Dear in Raymondville, Texas.

He married Irene Merten in 1953 and lived in Harlingen, Texas where he worked for the Harlingen Fire Department and then, Federal Petroleum & Butane Company.

Bill was a member of Faith American Lutheran Church in Weslaco for many years and very active in the life of the church for over 20 years. He also attended several area churches in his later years and remained a strong believer throughout his life.

Bill’s passion was music. He was a choir director in most of the churches he was involved with, loved to sing and played the piano.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, David, Joe, Robert, George, and John Dear and by two sisters, Emma (Petru) Smith and Mary Ann Jenkins.

He was a loving husband, brother, father and grandfather and is survived by his wife, Irene; his children, Cheryl Dear and Blair (Debra) Dear, and three grandchildren, Ashley, Erin, and Allyson Dear. He is also survived by his brothers, Sam and Charles Dear and sister, Katy Lauer and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Drs. Shenkenberg, Seudeal and Neasman and the compassionate nurses and staff in MICU at Valley Baptist Medical Center.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, May 31, 2004 at Grace Lutheran Church, 1001 E. Jackson in Harlingen. Officiating will be Reverend Robert Slade.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that all donations be made to Grace Lutheran Church Memorial Fund or to the charity of their choice.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.

Amparito "Annie" G. Maciel

LOZANO, TX/CHICAGO, IL — Amparito G. Maciel, 56, entered into eternal rest on May 26, 2004 after battling with cancer. She was born in Harlingen, TX to Jose Amador and Teresa B. Garcia.

She is preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Juan Jose Garcia.

Russell was born in Medford, Oklahoma as the 4th child of 5 in his family, which includes Francis, Mildred, Owen, and Kenneth.

He met his wife, Katherine Coons in Oklahoma and got married August 6, 1942. He regularly attended the Central Christian Church of Kalamazoo, of which he was the choir director.

Mr. Brown taught trombone at Western Michigan University from 1951-1986 and he was a founding member of the Western Brass Quintet. The Quintet traveled extensively throughout the United States and notably played at "Little Carnegie Hall" in N.Y.C.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University (as a trumpet major) and his master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. He has done additional study at the University of Illinois, University of Michigan, and Michigan State University.

He became a band director at Panhandle A & M College and later served as a bandleader in the U.S. Army in San Diego, CA, and then in the Orient during World War II.

After the war he served as a consultant to the Conn Instrument Company in Elkhart Indiana, and began to learn how to play the trombone, which he went on to study with Edward Kleinhammer of the Chicago Symphony.

At Western, he sustained a very active studio including the teaching of hundreds of students, and was the Principal Trombonist of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra for some 30 years. Russell Brown retired from Western Michigan University after 35 years on the music faculty as a Professor.

As a tribute to his professional life, a donor who holds his teaching in high regard established a $250,000 endowment fund, which created the "Russell Brown Brass Quintet Scholarship."

This scholarship yields $25,000 a year to provide five brass students with $5,000 scholarships for each of their four years at Western Michigan University. This endowment represents the largest endowment of single program in the School of Music’s history.

After retirement from Western, he moved to Georgetown, Texas, where he and his wife lived for approximately 5 years. He continued to teach Elementary grade students in the area before moving to Harlingen, Texas, where he resided at the Golden Palms Retirement Center.

He also attended the First United Methodist Church in Harlingen.

A memorial service will be held in the Texas Room at Golden Palms Retirement Center, 2 p.m., Saturday, May 29, 2004, with the Rev. Wayne Peck officiating. Locally he played with the "Celebration Brass," of which will be playing at his memorial service in his honor. In lieu of flowers the family request that memorial donations be made to the "Russell Brown Brass Quintet Scholarship Fund" at Western Michigan University.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.